Women and girls in Malawi have been urged to take sports seriously if they are to be considered for senior leadership positions in the sector.
UN Women Malawi Deputy Country Representative Fatima Muhammed made the call yesterday at a Women Leadership Programme and Sport for All event held at Kamuzu Institute for Sports in Lilongwe.
It was part of activities marking women’s month.
Muhammed, who was the guest of honour, emphasised the importance of celebrating women in sports, stating that sport was more than just a game as it provides women with a platform for leadership development, resilience and breaking gender barriers.
“Currently, statistics show that only 3 percent of women in Malawi actively participate in sports. Furthermore, only 30 percent of Malawian women have engaged in any form of sport at some point in their lives.
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“This highlights two critical challenges: low participation and limited leadership representation. Addressing these gaps requires collective effort involving the government, civil society organisations and women’s groups. The root cause lies in societal perceptions that certain sports are not meant for women, and this mindset must be challenged,” Muhammed said.
Malawi National Council of Sports Director of Sport and Recreation Development, Ivy Chinangwa, speaking at the event, encouraged women to get involved in sports.
“March is women’s month, time to celebrate the achievements of women and girls globally. While there is a designated day for International Women’s Day, different organisations and countries can choose any day within the month to recognise women’s contributions.
“We, at the Malawi National Council of Sports, selected this day to honour the progress women have made in sports,” Chinangwa said.
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The event’s organising committee chairperson Mgeni Gondwe said they were impressed with the turnout of women.
